Liquid-dispensing apparatus



July 9, 1929. T. A. PATTERSON 1.720.145

LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed April 9, 1928 .2.3 ,La ve n oi.

Patented July 9, 1929.

UNITED STATES i 1,720,145 PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS A. PATTERSON, F CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 WILBERTE. MILLER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

LIQUID-DISPENSING APPARATUS.

Application filed April 9,

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for dispensingbleaching and other chemical solutions, such as are commonly used inpublic laundries, the invention including means for measuring anddelivering a predetermined quantity of concentrat ed solution to amixing container and also means for admitting water under pressure tosaid container in such manner as to produce a circulating and mixingaction.

One of the objects of the invention is the facilitation of the handlingof liquid chemicals, such as bleaching solution, for instance sodiumhypo-chlorite, in public laundries where considerable quantities of thisstrong chemical are utilized after proper dilution.

Another object is the provision of means which will make it unnecessaryfor the laundry employees to handle the concentrated chemical either asa solution in carboys or in its crystalline or powdered form. By the useof the apparatus herein disclosed the vendor of the bleaching chemicaldelivers it to the laundry in a liquid form and places it in that partof the apparatus which is intended for the storage of the concentratedsolution. The laundry employee having charge ot the dilution of thebleaching solution merely draws of predetermined quantities of theconcentrated liquid by the simple manipulation of a hand valve. Thespilling of the concentrated chemical during its handling in the laundryand the possible damage which may result therefrom are thus reduced to aminimum.

Other objects and features of novelty will appear as I proceed with thedescription of that embodiment of the invention which, for the purposesof the present application, I have illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical central sectional view of an apparatus embodyingthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, certain ot the parts being brokenaway, to more clearly illustrate the invention;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section taken substantially on the line3 3, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view illustrating a means which I mayemploy for regulating closely the quantity of liquid delivered in onedraw-off operation.

The apparatus disclosed in the accompanying drawing is built in two mainparts,

1928. Serial N0. 268,625.

namely, a lower container and an upper container 11. The upper containeris divided into several compartments, as will later appear.

The lower container 10 is a one-piece concrete vessel open at the top. Awater pipe 12 with a shut-olf valve 13 may be employed for theintroduction of water to the container, the l'ower end of the pipe beingarranged horizontally and extending through one wall of the-containerbelow the normal liquid level therein at a point such that when thevalve 13 is opened water will be discharged from the pipe along oneinner wall of the container, and thus produce a rapid flow orcirculation of liquid around the container.

The upper container 11 also comprises a one-piece concrete casting witha false floor 14 and a partition wall 15, by means ot' which the upperportion ot' the container is divided into two compartments that aredesigned to be employed as separate storage tanks for undilutedsolution. Extending transversely of the upper container at the rear endthereof and below the floor 14 is a compartment 16, which is normally incommunication with one or the other ot' the two storage tanks throughone of the openings 17. The other of these openings is normally closedby a suitable plug, not shown.

Extending through the bottom of the coutainer there is a. hand hole 18which communicates with the compartment 16. This hole is closed by aplate 19 which is secured to the bottom of the container by means ofbolts 20, a rubber or other packing Q1 being interposed between thecontainer and the plate 19 to insure a tight joint.

Embedded Within the concrete in front ot the compartment 16 and at themiddle of the container 11 there is a stoneware vessel QQ, which has thecapacity to hold approximately thc quantity of undiluted solution thatit is desired to deliver to the container 1() for one mixing. Thisvessel 22 is in open communication with the compartment 16 through atubular connection 23 of small bore.

In order to provide an atmospheric-connection with the vessel 22, Iprovide a glass tube 24, the lower end of which is sealed into a hole inthe top of the vessel 22. The tube Q4 extends upwardly through thepartition and hence protected. against breakage.

Preferably, I mount within the tube 2 an inner tube Near its upper endthe tube 25 protrudes through a rubber stopper G that is fitted into theupper' flared end of the tube 2li. By this means the outer tube 2l issealed against the admission of air, and the inner tube is madeadjushible` as to height. By this adjustment the quantity of liquidwhich is permitted to enter the vesse 22 may be regulated within closelimits, 'that is to say the height of the lower cnd of the tube 25determines the amount of air that is trapped within the vessel 22 whenit is filled, and in this way regulates the quantity of liquid which ispermitted to enter the vessel.

From the forward end of the vessel 22 there extends a siphon tube 26,the outer end of which is provided with a` shut-off valve 27, this valveand the exposed end of the siphon tube being located in a cut-backportion of the container 11, as illustrated in Fig. l. Y

The forward end of the container 11 is supported, as shown, upon thecontainer 10, and the rear end thereof may be carried upon a support orsupports of any suitable or available kind. By means of this relativearrangement ofthe containers 10 and 11 a sufficient portion of thecontainer 10 is left exposed to enable the laundry employees to dip outdiluted solution with a pail or the like.

The vendor of the bleaching solution puts a plug in one of the holes 17and then empties a quantity of bleaching solution into each of thestorage tanks of the upper container. The bleaching solution flowsthrough that one of the holes 17 which has not been plugged, and fillsthe compartment 16. rllhe vessel 22 is thereupon filled graduallythrough the small bore connection I prefer to make the bore of thelat-ter connection small enough so that .fifteen or twenty minutes willbe required for the lill- ,ing of the vessel 22 when the latter is of athree-gallon size. During the filling operation the air in the vessel 22escapes through the tube 25 until the lower end of the latter is coveredby the liquid, and the height of liquid in the tube is equalized withthat in the main storage tank when the filling operation ceases.

Now when the operator desires to mix a batch of dilute bleachingsolution, hc opens the valves 27 and 13. Concentrated solution flowsdownwardly into the container 10 and water flows thereinto in ahorizontal path within the inner periphery of the container. Mixtureofthe water and bleaching liquid therefore takes place constantly whilethe container' 10 is being filled. The flow of liquid from vessel 22occurs rapidly, as the si phon tube 26 is of relatively large bore. Asmall quantity of liquid enters the vessel 22 through the tube 28 whilethe vesscl is emptying, but this quantity may be taken intoconsideration in determining the size of the vessel 22. As soon as t-hesipbon is broken tl e flow stops. The operator 'then shuts off the valve27 and the refilling of the vessel 22 proceeds.

The flow of water through pipe 12 is permitted to continue until thelerel of solution inthe container 10 reaches the height, previouslydetermined upon as a measure of the quantity of solution correspont ingwith th desired dilution of the three gallon or other measured quantityof concentrate( solution. Long before this quantity of dilute solutionis Vused up the vessel 22 has been again filled and is ready to deliver`liquid for the next mixing operation.

At long intervals the plate 19 may be removed and any sediment which hascollected in compartment 16 may be withdrawn. At the same Vtime theoperator may reach into compartment 16 through the hand hole 18 andclean out the small tube 23 with a wire or the like. Then the liquid inone of the storage tanks of container 11 is used up, the plug may bereplaced in hole 17 of that tank, and the plug in the hole 17 of theother tank'may be removed and the liquid in that tank then becomesavailable. Hence there is practically always a reserve supply.Furthermore, each fresh quantity may be kept by itself instead of beingmixed with a supply containing mixtures of many vprevious fillings. Y

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an apparatus for dispensing a chemical solution, a lower containeradapted to receive water and concentrated-liquid for mixing anddispensing, an upper container for storing concentrated liquidpositioned above said first named container, said upper containercomprising al measuring chamber, means for filling said chamber andmeans for emptying the contents of said chamber into said first namedcontainer.

2. In an apparatus for dispensing achemical solution, a lower containeradapted to receive water and concentrated liquid for mixing anddispensing, an upper container for storing concentrated liquidpositioned above said first named container, said upper containercomprising a measuring chamber, means for emptying the contents of saidchamber' into said lower container, and means for automatically fillingsaid chamber whenever its contents are withdrawn.

3. In an apparatus for dispensing achemical solution, a lower containeradapted to receive water and the concentrated liquid for mixing anddispensing, an upper container for storing concentrated liquidpositioned above said first named container, said upper containerlcomprising a measuring Chamber, a pipe for connecting said chamber withatmosphere, said pipe being adjustable to different heights within theChamber, means l'or filling said chamber, and means for delivering thecontents thereof to said lower Container.

l. In an apparatus for dispensing a chemical solution, a lower Containeradapted to receive water and concentrated liquid for mixing anddispensing7 an upper container' for storing concentrated liquidpositioned above said first named container, said upper containercomprising a measuring Chamber, a relatively large siphon connection fordelivering the Contents of said chamber to said lower container, aeut-olf valve in said oonneetion, and an open, small size inletConnection for said chamber.

5. In an apparatus for dispensing a ehemical solution, a lower containeradapted to receive water and concentrated liquid for mixing anddispensing, an upper container for storing concentrated liquid supportedupon said lower 'container and extending partially thereover butlea-ving a portion of the lower container unobstructed, and means insaid upper container for isolating a predetermined quantity ofconcentrated liquid and delivering the same to said lower eontrainer.

G. In an apparatus for dispensing a ehemieal solution, a container formixing said solution with water, means for delivering a stream oi saidsolution downwardly into` the container, and a pipe for delivering waterunder pressure into said container in a horizontal stream along one wallof the container, whereby a circulation of water is set up for mixingpurposes.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

THOMAS A. PATTERSON.

